Disturbing Revelations
by Ghedea
Summary: Aasera gets caught in Jacinto's fall and manages to survive. But when she later comes upon some disturbing information, she may decide that it would have been better if she had died. Some canon related info from games/books. Original Character.
1. Jacinto's Fall

**Author's Note: **This little short story starts ten minutes before Jacinto's fall. Aasera Fenix, much younger sister to THE Marcus Fenix, stays behind long enough to help out remaining civilian's and ends up separated from her fellow Gears. Fair warning, though some parts are canon with the story of Gears; other parts are made up of my own ideas. Some may think this is a little farfetched of a story, but that's why it's called FanFiction, because not everything is canon related.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gears of War or Epic Games.

**Disturbing Revelations**

By Ghedea

Chapter One – Jacinto's Fall

_**Day of Jacinto Evacuation, Ten minutes to its fall.**_

There was no doubt about it, Aasera Fenix had some sort of a death wish as she gruffly ordered Gettner to swoop down and drop her off at the nearby KR landing. "Are you fucking crazy girl?!" the female pilot spat as she made a devastating swoop to narrowly miss a Reaver, "You have less than ten minutes left! Jacinto is going to become a god damn swimming pool!"

Sera stood silently at the edge of the Raven, her hand gripping onto the overhead railing as tightly as possible. "I don't care…" she said in a tone that matched that of her brother's. It was one of those 'I don't give a fuck what you think so just drop me off' tones. Honey-brown eyes surveyed the damage, her heart literally threatening to jump out of her throat at what she saw. There were men, women, and children all running for their lives down ancient streets in a fruitless attempt to survive.

"This is as low as I can go, girl. I swear to God, if you get killed Marcus will have my ass on a silver platter and offer me to the remaining Locusts!" Gettner announced roughly as she hovered over the tiny area, "I'll watch your back as much as I can, but you had better get your ass out of Jacinto as quickly as possible!"

The Gear turned her head a little to give Gettner a strong nod before jumping out of the KR unit, her booted feet landing firmly against broken concrete. She had less than ten minutes to direct everyone out as fast as possible before the inevitable happened. Right now Marcus, Dom, and Baird had their own mission of blasting the structure below Jacinto with a bomb. She had no clue what was going on because their comms had failed once they made it underground. Contrary to popular belief, Aasera didn't have a death wish; she just wanted to get civilians out to safety. Jumping into the nearby truck, she twisted the key in the ignition and shifted into gear to take off down the bumpy street.

"Boss, what the hell…?!" Jerome barked into the comms, sounding a little distraught over the fact that his superior took off without the rest of her squad, "We'll come and help you!"

"NO!" she spat as she roughly pushed down on the acceleration pedal, "There's not enough time for you to land **and** reach me." The last thing she wanted was for her entire unit to go down just because she felt the need to save just a few more lives. Wind gusted through the open window, causing strands of ebony to whip against her cheeks. It was chilling to the bone; a sure sign that winter was already in place. They were all going to have a terrible time adjusting to Port Farrell.

The next concerned voice came as a shock to Sera as she veered around a street corner towards the gates of Jacinto, "You're being stupid…you can't honestly hope to save people as well as save yourself!"

The voice belonged to her new recruit Lisa Evans. The two females hadn't gotten along with each other since the Corporal had joined Sierra squad, or rather, Lisa had some reason to hate her superior and Sera was never actually able to find out why. It was surely a surprise to hear this woman voice her concern, but who was she to question it. "I have no plans on dying, Lisa. I'm a Fenix; we're stubborn as hell even on the brink of death." She said, and she believed it wholeheartedly, "Keep the boys in line, Evans. I need you to do that for me, okay? I'm not ordering, I'm asking as a comrade and not your superior."

Corporal Evans felt a lump in her throat as she spoke, "Of course…just don't keep us waiting, okay?"

Satisfied with the outcome, Sera veered around another street corner until she came to a stop where a group of survivors stood by. Pressing her foot to the brake, the Sergeant stepped out of the truck and made her way to the back of it to open up the hatch. "Get in!" she ordered. The truck could hold a maximum of thirty people comfortably; she was going for thirty-five, maybe forty with how small some of the children were.

One by one they entered into the back, thanking her as they climbed inside and seated themselves. Peering down at her watch, she made a soft 'Tch' sound as she slammed the hatch up and locked it in place. "Better hold on…we don't have much time left." She ordered as she made her way into the front and slid inside to see a fellow Gear sitting in the passenger seat. "What the hell are you doing here?" she questioned, in shock mind you.

The man stuttered a few times as he watched her swiftly get the truck into gear and take off towards the main gates leading out of Jacinto. "My squad…" he stuttered again and bowed his helmeted head, "the Locusts…"

He didn't have to say any further, she understood. His squad had been annihilated by the Locusts in a half ditch attempt to take out the towers at the main fortress. A sigh escaped as she nodded her head, eyes occasionally peering down at the time on her watch. Adrenaline kicked in as the time started ticking down to the last minute and as she rushed to the main gates, she only had ten seconds left before the bomb was to go off.

The truck came to a complete halt just outside of Jacinto, they were well enough away, but something was nagging at her. Sera got out of the truck and looked back to see a few kids, an older brother and younger sister, making their way to the gate. She could feel a rumble beneath her booted feet and was spurned into action before she even thought of the consequences of said actions.

To make her pursuit faster, the female started unbuckling the gear strapped to her body until she was left in nothing but her boots and the body glove of a suit she wore beneath the gear and shoved it into the truck's cab. Her ponytail bobbed and weaved roughly behind her head as she took off into a desperate sprint to reach the kids. For some reason they reminded her of Marcus and she, from a time that they never got to experience together as children. The winter air made her hitch in desperate breath, causing vapor to expend from her mouth as she ignored the painful hitch at her side.

All of Jacinto rumbled and shook violently as the structure beneath started to heavily give way. The children were crying as she came up to them. She pulled the little boy so that he was hooked to her back with his arms around her neck. "Do **not **let go, you understand?" she muttered, satisfied as he gave her a silent nod. Snatching the little girl off the ground, Aasera booked it back to the truck just as the ground around her started to cave in. Eyes narrowed upon her fellow Gear as he stood at the passenger side of the truck. Placing the little girl down, she instructed her to run as fast as her tiny legs could carry her and readied to do the same thing with the girl's brother when the tiling beneath her feet slid and buckled before it eventually gave way.

The Gear snatched up the little girl and placed her inside with the other civilians. A few men jumped out of the back of the truck and stormed over to where Sera had once been. When they reached the edge they saw her clinging on with one hand while the other had a firm grasp on the crying boy.

It had happened suddenly, the way the ground just caved in and swallowed her damn near whole. Honey eyes peered up to see the men hovering there with their arms outstretched in an attempt to grab her. She could already feel her fingers slipping as she pulled her hand grasping onto the boy's with all her strength. "Crawl on me…" she shouted, trying as she might to help him up. Thankfully he listened and crawled his way up along Sera's body until one of the men above managed to grab him. Eyes closed as she exhaled, unable to hold on any longer even as her fellow Gear reached down to grab her hand. All she managed to get out before the water swept her away was, "Go to Port Farrell!"

He didn't know what to do, his eyes wide with fear and angst as he cried out her rank, "Sergeant!!" No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find her. The rush of ocean water seemed to have swallowed her completely with its rage. All he could do now was get to Port Farrell and hope that the comms would pick up his distress call as he tried to report it in.


	2. Wading In Desperation

**Author's Note: **Second chapter is up, Sera manages to catch onto something. Bernie Mataki (from the books) makes a slight appearance. Sera's mind is muddled with many emotions and becomes overwhelmed by them.

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own Gears of War of Epic games.

**Disturbing Revelations**

By Ghedea

Chapter Two – Wading In Desperation

Sera didn't know how she had managed it, but somehow she found herself clinging onto one of the many towers in Jacinto. Not everything was swallowed up. A few buildings managed to cling on, rooted to the granite stone along the edges of the gaping hole. After being thrashed about quite violently, Aasera had managed to gain some sort of strength and wade to something, anything that could be her anchor. She clung onto one of the Troika's --her literal lifeline-- as the water violently spun around her, gathering anything and everything in its wake to suck it into oblivion by the large whirlpool in the center of where Jacinto's massive fortress had once been.

At one point she had seen a fellow Gear by the name of Bernie Mataki, a South Islander just like Tai Kaliso, trying to wade her way towards a nearby building that managed to cling onto its foundation. Not everyone had managed to make it out alive; the nearby bodies were testament to that. It was a horrifying display, one that Sera could never get used to as she peered at an armored body smacking against the side of the tower before being sucked away into the whirlpool. She snapped her head to the side, her eyes squinting shut as she tried to focus on a way to get out of this situation, if not for herself then for Bernie. The comms weren't working, much to her dismay, as she climbed up that Troika and with wobbling footing, went step by step until she could make it to the nearby roof.

The water had been freezing, but her body had gotten used to it and felt warm compared to when she stepped out of the water to be hit by a chilling breeze. She stood there silently, her back hunched, palms resting against wobbly knees as she attempted to catch her breath and ignore the sudden bitter cold breeze that swept past her. Everything had gone from bad to worse in an instant, and she felt so utterly alone. Canting her head, her eyes swept over the watery grave for hundreds of people, searching for the Boomer Lady in hopes that she had made it out alive. Sera didn't see her, but that didn't mean Bernie had gave in and died. That woman was the toughest bird you could go against, and she ceased to amaze the young female Gear.

Aasera trembled as she took a daring step, sucking in her breath as she wavered and damn near toppled backwards into the swirling water. She righted herself instantly and dropped down onto her hands and knees, her eyes squinting shut as she fought back the sudden tears of anguish and fear. Gloved fingertips clawed at the shingles in an attempt to, well…to do something. Nothing could distract her from the fact that this could be her last moments in life; freezing to death on top of a crumbling, barely standing tower looking out at the watery graves of civilians that hadn't made it. To think that she had been driven down onto her hands and knees, too afraid to even fucking crawl to find some sort of safety.

Tears welled within her eyes as she sobbed out loud, not afraid that anyone might here because there was no one to hear her any longer. Everything had changed so suddenly, so much torment and pain. She was confused and scared --something she had never been before, not even when she had been captured by the dwarfish Locust Commander. Torture she could live with, but dying knowing that there were so many other people that she could have saved before she bit the dust made the moment absolutely unbearable. Hands balled into tiny fists as she pounded ruthlessly against the roof, not caring that it may give out at any given moment.

_You're a soldier, aren't you? Start acting like one, for god's sakes! What would your brother think if he saw you like this? Or for that matter, what would Seth think?! Disgusting! There is no excuse to act like a bawl-baby when you could be using this crying time to find a way to safety! You're not the only one fighting for your god damn life! Now get your ass up and MOVE IT SOLDIER!!!_

The niggling voice had returned again, spouting out harsh but needed words in order to get that female into gear. It was her own voice, one that often sprouted when she had given up all hope in a situation. If it hadn't been for that voice then she would have been dead a million times over by now. Sucking in the bitterly cold air, Sera bobbed her head in a curt nod, as if agreeing with her own inner thoughts. Wiping away the tears that had nearly iced against her pale cheeks, she lifted her head and scanned the rooftop before deciding on a course of action. She would have to crawl. Right now she was shaking too much to even try walking; knowing that she might tumble back into what would end up being her own watery grave. Thus she began her journey of crawling, fingers gripping at certain parts of the crumbling building.

Aasera paused, using another Troika as leverage to pull herself so that she may view ahead. She wasn't that far from land as it was. All she had to do was hobble her way to the end of this building and try to swim the slim rapid water over to the other side. "Right…because it will be that easy…" she spat, rolling her eyes as she continued forward, having no choice but to do the sorry excuse for a plan. She walked along the edge with her fingers gripping the edges of the brick and cement of the building. While she made her way towards the land, she wondered idly how she was going to get across the gap filled with rapid running water.

A sudden rumbling from beneath caused the entire building to shake and start to buckle. She skidded a little upon the rooftop, her fingers still gripping the edges as the building slowly gave way. "Shit…" she hissed, her eyes closing over as she mustered the strength and the courage to continue on. She would do this, she **had** to do this!


	3. Sorrow In Frost

**Author's Note: ** For those that don't know, Frost is equivalent to our winter, obviously. Sera escapes the icy waters and begins searching for shelter. A lot of things pertaining to Dom and Maria are in this chapter, depressing really. I was listening to the track Dom and Maria on the Gears of War 2 OST.

**Disclaimer:** Yup, you guess it…I still don't own Gears of War or Epic Games. Damn.

**Disturbing Revelations**

By Ghedea

Chapter Three – Sorrow In Frost

Hours had passed on by since Jacinto sunk and ocean water filled the enormous gap. Sera wondered idly if everyone had made it to safety or if what she had done was in vain. She had to believe that the human race could survive despite the odds that had been stacked against them. If they could survive an invasion by an unknown enemy as well as the infamous Hammer Strike, then wasn't it possible? Of course it was -- anything was possible if just one person was willing to fight for it.

The Gear hoisted herself up, her lower body pulling with the current of the water as she held onto to the edge. She had been mighty fortunate to make it from the building to land without being dragged away. If she had to guess, Sera supposed the current from the ocean was dying away as the Hollows beneath were filled to the brim. Still, it wasn't an easy feat as she had to hold on to something just for a little rest every once in a while. Now that she made it to land, she had a new concern, finding warmth.

The sun faded and twilight had arrived, bringing with it a devastatingly cold night. "I n-need t-to f-find sh-sh-shelter." She said through chattering teeth while climbing up onto strong ground and collapsed instantaneously. Aasera gasped as the freezing wind smacked right into her wet form. Though the body glove she wore provided insulation, it wasn't enough to keep her dry, or warm for that matter. Therefore the feeling she received could be compared to close to a thousand needles being stuck into her entire body. Even her face wasn't spared. Long ebony locks stiffened due to this chill, frozen over her shoulders and down her back, so frozen in fact that she could probably snap it in half if she really wanted to.

The possibility of freezing to death had occurred to the young woman as she slowly rose to her feet and took baby-steps forward. Gears were tough, they were made to survive through practically anything, but she wondered if that included being turned into a damn icicle. Weary and losing hope, Sera Fenix walked aimlessly in what she assumed would be the direction of Port Farrell. There was no way she could make that distance during Frost, but she hoped to find something, or someone, along the way. Her comms unit was busted, so calling into Control wasn't an option. They wouldn't even take notice of her absence until the truck filled with survivors made it to Port Farrell. In layman's terms, she was royally fucked.

She wasn't sure how far she had actually travelled and instead of paying attention to her surroundings she allowed her thoughts to drift to the horrible news Marcus gave her before he and Dom left. Already she felt the tears well in her honey orbs. So many years looking for his wife only to find her in such a horrible condition, then having to kill her thereafter because that was the humane thing to do. Sera hoped that the man realized that what he did **had** to happen. From what Marcus had told her, all that was left of Maria was an empty shell; a remnant of the woman she had once been.

Despite the chilling wind and freezing temperatures, Aasera felt the tears prick and cascade down her cheeks, freezing against her pale skin at times. If that had happened to her, if she were to be captured and completely brainwashed to the point that she couldn't recognized those that she loved and held dearly; well…she'd definitely want someone to put her out of her misery. She let out a choked sob, her fist coming up to her mouth to muffle the sound, keeping any nearby possible hostiles from hearing. The torment she felt right now was nearly unbearable; what Dom must be going through must be pure hell in comparison. The female Fenix sibling felt the weight of the world in that one moment as she collapsed into the snow and sobbed, damn near reaching hyperventilation. So many loved ones that had been down in the Hollows, brainwashed and unknowing of what was going on around them…dead, all dead.

Her honey-brown optics glared at the brilliant white snow, her bottom lip quivering as she tried so very hard to pull back on her emotions. It was a hard thing to do, but somehow she had managed. All she could think about was how it would feel if she had been in Dom's situation. What if Seth had been captured and brainwashed? What if he couldn't recognize her and was nothing more than an empty shell?! Sera closed her eyes and willed those depressing thoughts away before she gave up on going any further entirely. She loved Raldoran, more than he could ever possibly imagine. She couldn't promise herself to go on in life if she had to live without him.

Sera's tears carved watery trails along her cheeks and even over her lips before reaching the point of her chin and dropping in suicidal drops to the snow. The taste of her tears was salty and warm, bringing her back into the world of the now. She'd have to be there for Dom just like Marcus would, support him, even if it was just to sit beside him in silence. Mustering up what little strength she had left, Aasera slowly rose off her knees and stumbled forth through the blistering wind and falling snow. One thing was for certain, she would confront her brother about ending her life if she ended up like Maria. She refused to wander the earthly plane of Sera as nothing more than an empty shell. She'd also assure him that it was what she wanted and that by him doing such a thing would free her, that it was the right thing to do.

It seemed that her idle wandering had led her to a building, one that she recognized despite it being covered in snow and ice. It was the building that Sera and Seth had to bunk in that one night after escaping the Locust tunnels. They couldn't leave because the Kryll had been out full force that evening. With the thought of the Kryll, she suddenly remembered that no one had seen or heard the Kryll since the Lightmass Bomb had been detonated. It felt like so long ago since she and Seth had shared an extremely intense evening together. What was supposed to be a one-night stand turned into an actual relationship, albeit rocky at times, it was a blooming relationship nonetheless.

She exhaled a heavy and painful breath as she drove forward. It solved her problem for shelter. It may be drafty, but at least she'd be out of the harsh elements for the night. Still, she couldn't just storm in without checking the area for any hostiles, and all she had on her person was a Boltok pistol strapped to her outer right thigh and a combat knife strapped to her left calf. If she ended up caught in a full on fight with the Locusts, well…there was no doubt in her mind that she would be royally fucked. Be that as it may, she would not let this little problem get her down, not when she had finally found some damn shelter. The thought of sleep after days of having none sounded like a dream come true. Even if it were just for a few mere hours of it, she'd be happy with just that. With that last thought in mind, Sera began her prowl of the building's perimeter.


	4. An Old Enemy Reappears

**Author's Note: ** This introduces a Commander Locust that I made up. I played with different concepts…and yeah, this is what came up. Since we really don't know much about the Locusts or how they were created, I decided to go with my own route on it. If you've noticed so far, there is a large back story with this character. I'm still working on writing it out…but with how little people read the Gears fics, I may not ever put them up. I really haven't decided. So to make it easier, Sera had been captured by this mysterious 'Locust' and torture in an attempt to reveal the COG's plans. She escapes, or rather, is rescued…and that's really all you need to know. If there are any questions that you'd like answered, feel free to drop one my way.

**Disclaimer: ** Don't own GoW or Epic Games. Go Double XP weekend! Whoo!!

**Disturbing Revelations**

By Ghedea

Chapter Four – An Old Enemy Re-appears

Whether the Gods were on her side or she had simply just lucked out, Aasera had run into absolutely nothing. The ebony-haired Gear flopped down onto the rickety bed and buried her face into her gloved hands. She was exhausted, emotionally, mentally, and physically. The Gear fell onto her side and rolled over onto her back, her legs stretched over the lumpy bed as her tired eyes stared up at the ceiling. There was no doubt about it; she was going to have to look for a vehicle in the morning if she wanted to make it to Port Farrell. Casting her gaze towards the nearby window, she watched with blurred vision as the snow continued to descend.

_Then again, should the snow keep up at the rate its going, I may end up being snowed in. _she thought drearily. She wasn't worried about the cold. She had more than enough wood in this building to break apart and put into the steel drum. Sera had a feeling that some Stranded took up residence here before deciding it was best to take the amnesty that Prescott offered. This was a good thing though. It meant that she could light a small fire if she needed to and not have to use the fireplace. The chances of enemies seeing the smoke rising from the chimney was not something she was willing to tempt, not when she was by herself. Draping an arm over her eyes, Sera closed said eyes and allowed the whistling wind and the creaking of the building to lull her to sleep.

Now she hadn't expected to fall into a deep sleep. Gears were used to lack of sleep, but even the most battle trodden soldier had their limits. Truth be told, she hadn't been sleeping well for a very long time. Not since she had been captured and tortured by that unknown Locust Commander who, might she add, still remained an absolute mystery to all of them. Albeit they hadn't seen hide or proverbial hair of the bastard, that didn't mean that he was gone for good. Something told her that he would be back; thus she was always on guard.

But she had finally dropped her guard, and that was more than enough incentive for him to move in for the proverbial 'kill'. That loathsome bastard that had come to her rescue had completely sawed off his arm, and although he had given the man a fatal wound…apparently it wasn't enough to actually kill the groundwalker. Vengeance would be sweet; in the form of that lithe female Gear that he had managed to capture once before. For months he had kept himself low on the proverbial radar and even got permission from the queen to tail the dark-haired female. He feared that his attempts to catch her off guard were futile, for she had never once dropped her guard until this very night.

He was one of the lucky few to be out of the Hollows when Jacinto had been sunk. After all, the whole point of this little sneak attack was to follow the woman everywhere she went. Even Locusts, as unintelligent as they seemed, were very much ingrained with various battle techniques and even stealth operations. Skorge had fucked up just as RAAM had before him, and now he was very much dead; taken down by the female's older brother. Thankfully the queen had escaped, but only just.

The Locust Commander hovered over the sleeping form of Aasera Fenix, his beady eyes slightly narrowed behind the cowl of his trench. No one really knew what he looked like beneath, and they'd be quite shocked to find what was beneath the disguise. Though parts of him appeared very much as Locust, other parts resembled human. After all, he spoke like that of a human, even appeared a little more humane despite his upbringing. He was one of the third series created, one of the children that hadn't fully developed into the monstrous killing machines that fought against the Gears today. He could have been considered a failed project if it weren't for his brilliant mind. No, the Sires were the failed experiments. They cared not of who they killed, ally or foe.

This woman had become sort of an obsession for him since the moment he captured her. She was an enigma, suffered horrible torture and still refused to reveal anything to him. He wanted to know what made her tick, what made her strong and so devoted to her fellow brethren. Grubs didn't care about the comrades they lost. Humans though, they were different. Each loss was a blow to their hearts and mind. They reacted almost as if it had been done to them and not to their brethren. Sera, though…he noticed that she took everything to heart. He had watched her struggle to save those kids, sacrificing herself for a couple measly children that would probably never remember her. He had watched her struggle to survive in the crashing waters as she swam to shore, and he had eagerly watched when she collapsed and cried in anguish and sorrow.

His time had finally come, he would claim her and wreck havoc upon that bastard that had cut off his arm. He had seen their devotion for each other, watched in delight at their displayed affection when they thought no one was watching. He knew that she would be his weakness, but he also knew that he would never betray or go against the COG or their orders to save her. It would be a sweet justice, the perfect revenge so to speak. The only question was…what to do with her now? He could kill her, but a large part of him fought that idea away.

Long fingers, with sharp talons at the tips, stroked over the soft flesh of her cheek as she continued to sleep. Yes, there were worse things than death, and his instincts told him to take her in to the queen because SHE would know what to do. Myrrah always knew the answer to a situation, and because this was a sensitive care; one that she told him he must complete, then going to her was the only sane option. Nergal could tell the female was in a deep sleep due to the steady and deep breathing, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. He swept a talon over her flesh again until receiving a stirring response. She hummed gently and shifted her body on the lumpy mattress, causing him to grin wickedly behind the large cowl.

Nergal continued to watch the female, taking note of her features and how he couldn't deny the human part of himself the fact that she was quite the looker. More so than just a looker, she was downright gorgeous despite the fact that she was a soldier. The way her lashes fanned out over her skin and the way her lips pursed as she slept. He had every single one of her facial expressions memorized by now, probably more so than that dickhead of a lover of hers. When she was angry, her right eye tended to twitch and her fingers would as well, as if itching to pull the trigger of her favored weapons. She would scowl and narrow her eyes at whoever may have upset her, and her supple lips would purse into a deep frown. When she was happy, her eyes seemed to brighten immensely due to the rare smiles that reached said eyes. And when she was sad it seemed as if the whole world was affected by it. Perhaps he was a little more obsessed than he should have been, but it couldn't be helped.

The female slowly began to stir awake, her eyelashes fluttering open slowly as her blurred vision cleared to see the form of a dark mass hovering above her. He grinned ruefully at the way her expression changed from sleep to alert and shock at the figure that hovered so close. "We meet again, Sera Fenix…" he snarled as his fingers combed through her onyx hair and clutched firmly at the back of her head to keep her pressed against the bed. He took note of the way she searched for her weapons and laughed as his free hand rose to show that her Boltok pistol and combat knife were in his possession. "I've waited a long time for this day; a day in which I never thought would come with how paranoid you've been since we last met. You had very good reasons to be guarded, because you were right in assuming that I would be back."

Shock was an understatement, Sera was absolutely flabbergasted by the Locust Commander's appearance. That fear that she always managed to drown out after their time together had returned tenfold, an impact that left her nearly breathless. "How did y-you…" she began but was quickly cut off.

"Find you? That's easy…" he spoke, his deep tone dropping another octave as he dipped down, his cowl dusting against the woman's chin, "I never left. After the Kantus healed me and reattached my arm, I came looking for you and never left your side. You knew I was there, but everyone told you that you were being paranoid. Well I'm here to let you know that your fears and paranoia were warranted."

Somehow, and she wasn't exactly sure **how** she managed to find it, but somehow she managed to push the fear out of her mind to stare the beast pointedly in the eyes. "Well then kill me already! Stop fucking with my head and just be done with it!" she challenged, her honey-brown eyes fierce and full of spitfire.

He chortled, the bastard actually chortled as his grip upon her hair tightened as he pulled her, as well as himself, off that rickety bed. "That would be too easy. I can't exact my revenge by just simply killing you. Besides, it would be such a waste to do that." He grumbled in that deep monotone voice, the cowl hiding the devious grin forming his unusual features, "I'm taking you to Myrrah, the Locust Queen. I believe she wants to see you for herself."

Sera's face lost all color at those words, which caused her tiny frame to struggle in the Locust Commander's grasp, ignoring the jolts of pain from his tight hold upon her hair. "I'd rather die than **ever** meet your queen! And I'd most certainly rather die than be part of your vengeance kick! What's the purpose for it all?! Why?!" she spat.

Nergal growled as his free hand, now void of weapons, grasped her left bicep. His talons punctured through the body glove attire that she wore and through flesh. He reveled in the pain that crossed over her pretty features and leaned into her, "The purpose…you ask for a purpose? That bastard lover of yours should be **dead** right now! Yet he managed to survive! He sawed off my arm, which has never been the same even after the Kantus reattached it. I want justice, and I'll find that justice through you, my dear Sera. I know that he can't just drop everything to save you. He won't. He's loyal to his company and would never betray them, even if it means he has to pass on rescuing you."

Her eyes widened to his words and she knew, right there and then, what he might have planned. It was hard to swallow the revelation, but she knew that the bastard was right. It wasn't that Seth didn't love her, she knew better than to think that. But she remembered their talk long ago, the fight they had over loyalties. _If something happens and I'm on a mission, I can't come to help you. I just can't. Not unless it was a direct order from Control. I won't betray my unit, Sera. So please, don't do anything stupid…because I can't guarantee I can come to your rescue. _Her body trembled, eyelids closing over honey eyes as her voice, husky and painful sounding, and spoke, "It won't matter. I've come to terms with it and so has he…" her words carried on as her eyes snapped back open to stare at him, "Wait…how did you know about that?!"

"I told you…" he muttered, pulling her along towards the exit of the building where a Reaver waited just outside, "I never left you. I've been watching, spying, cloaked…all right under your COG's precious noses."

"You know…" she grunted, struggling still within his grasp, "for a damn grub, you're pretty fucking intelligent."

He shrugged, the grin hidden beneath the collar of his trench faltering a little as he pushed her up onto the Reaver and quickly slipped on it behind her, "It's one of the reasons I'm kept around, despite the anomalies. Now…I must bid you goodnight." He said, not allowing her to ask questions as he pistol whipped her into unconsciousness. He couldn't afford her seeing where Myrrah had relocated herself. He redirected the Reaver into the direction needed and the beast took flight into the skies a second later, traveling at high speeds under cloak to reach his destination.


	5. Disturbing Revelations

**Author's Note: **As the title reads, this is where Aasera finds out some disturbing news. This obviously isn't canon, but then again…who knows what really happened to Marcus' mom. All that we know (from the books) is that she disappeared when he was a teen and was found years after E-Day, dead in the Hollows when Marcus and his unit were looking for Imulsion crystals for the HoD. Like I said, I played with my own ideas on what the Locusts are…so don't take anything said to heart. It's only my imagination running wild. XD I may continue with this…but I haven't really decided yet. So I'll leave it In-Progress.

**Disclaimer: **I really want to own Gears of War and Epic games. Cause if I did, there would be female Gears in it. Lots of them, kicking ass!

**Disturbing Revelations**

By Ghedea

Chapter Five – Disturbing Revelations

The sounds of grumbling and unintelligible words stirred the female from the depths of the darkness she had been rendered into. Eyes rolled and shifted within their sockets as her eyelids fluttered before slowly drifting open. Her vision remained blurred, unfocused, as she tried to move. Her arms felt heavy, almost as if they were restrained. _Had it all been a nightmare?_ She thought groggily as she tried to push away the groggy sensation, only for a throbbing pain to take its place. Sera groaned in pain as her vision finally cleared, and what she saw made her wish she was still unconscious.

"She awakens…" a voice, female with the accent of a South Islander, spoke in lulling tones, "It's nice to finally meet you, Aasera."

Sera stared wide-eyed at the owner of the voice, shocked and in disbelief to see that she was...well, she appeared practically human despite the moving tentacles slithering around upon her back. "Where…" she croaked in pain, "Where am I? Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter where you're at, only that you are here at long last. As for who I am…" the elegant woman spoke as her hand wavered almost dismissively, "I am Myrrah, better known to you as the Locust Queen." The woman cast her icy orbs down at the female Gear and offered an almost genial smile.

The ebony-haired female shifted, still feeling as if she was being weighed down. As she sat up, she came to realize the reason why. She was chained and shackled to the floor at Myrrah's feet. She felt hot and uncomfortable, indicating that wherever they were; it wasn't near Jacinto or Port Farrell. They had to be someplace that wasn't touched by Frost. To Myrrah's left stood the culprit that had brought her here, his eyes regarding the Gear with triumph and sadistic joy. There was something oddly different in the creature, as if his eyes weren't as beady as she remembered. They actually contained a little hit of brown in them.

"I was so happy that Nergal was able to finally bring you here. I've been waiting for such a very long time to see you." Myrrah chirped as she rose out of her makeshift throne and practically glided towards the young female shackled to the floor. Her lithe body crouched down, a pale human hand reaching out to dust against Sera's cheeks to push away the ebony locks that clung to her damp features, "You've retained a beauty that normal Gears would lose in just a few years of battle. But that's to be expected. Your mother, your **true** mother that is, was a very beautiful woman. The Fenix family definitely has dark and exotic features that can't be touched, no matter how many scars adorn your skin."

Aasera remained still, her features still formed in an expression of complete and utter shock at finding out that what Marcus said about the woman was true. She **did **know the Fenix family before her introduction to Marcus in the earlier days. How can the queen be so human, yet her actions and orders were so inhuman?! For example, here Sera was restrained and Myrrah was treating her as if she were a guest! The female shifted her arms, the chains clanging annoyingly from her wrists.

"Yes, I'm sorry about those, but you see…I can't afford you trying to escape. Not after how long we've waited for your presence." Myrrah spoke with such tenderness that she could see the confusion in Sera's eyes. It made her smile again as she wiped the sweat from the woman's brow, "I'm sorry about the heat. I personally hate it, but we didn't have many options on such short notice. Your older brother is quite the spitfire. But then again…" she drawled, her fingers cupping beneath Sera's chin, "so are you."

Fenix pulled her face away to look down at the floor, unable to look into those icy orbs any longer. She suddenly felt very uncomfortable, as if the woman knew a secret that she didn't. "What do you plan to do with me…?" she inquired quietly, her long ebon locks veiling around her face.

"To tell you the truth…" she answered as she rose back up and made her way back to her seat, "Do you know the origins of your birth? The true reason why you were separated from the brother you didn't know until your adult years?" Myrrah's brow arched elegantly as she stared pointedly at the young woman sprawled upon the floor.

Sera took the moment to scan her surroundings. Elite Theron Guards stood nearby with their Torque Bows at the ready; a few Drones were placed off to the sides…as if they were spectators. "I don't know. My adoptive mother didn't really answer anything when I asked. She wasn't exactly forthcoming on a lot of information." She murmured as her honey gaze shifted back to the queen, "Why does it matter?"

"Because it does, my dear…" she spoke as she dismissed all but Nergal from the room. Scuffling could be heard, followed by the closing of doors. Nergal stood at his queen's side with an almost apprehensive expression in his eyes. "Did your brother tell you that his mother disappeared when he was only a teenager?" she asked. When the young nodded, Myrrah smiled and settled her cheek against the heel of her palm, "Did he tell you that he found her dead body in the tunnels when he was searching for imulsion crystals for the Hammer of Dawn?" This time the woman seemed rather shocked by this news and shook her head. "He probably wanted to spare you that information. That's when he disobeyed orders to find Adam, your father…because he wanted answers. He never did find his father, though…figuring he was already dead."

"What does this have to do with me?" she snapped angrily, sadness and anguish flooding her pale features.

"Straight and to the point, just like your brother. My dear, don't you find it **odd** that your mother's disappearance coincides with your birth?" she drawled, letting those last words hang desperately in the air.

Shocked once again, Aasera had never once considered that fact. It was always something she overlooked because she didn't have the answers to them. Her eyes narrowed suddenly as she peered through ebon locks at the female sitting calmly in her makeshift throne, "What are you insinuating, damn it? Spit it out already!"

"Your mother was pregnant with you when she disappeared. She was working under me at the time, as was your father. No, I should say that she got pregnant with you because I **willed her** to do so." She answered rather bluntly, her icy optics shining with mirth and malice all mixed into one, "With your mother and father's help, along with Nigel and me, we were able to make the perfect soldier through experimentations. The Sires was the first stage out of many failed attempts. The regular Locusts you see are the second attempt. Nergal was the third. He developed beautifully, but he still retained some features of the regular Locusts. You, my dear…were the fourth series made, the **only** fourth…just as Nergal is the only third, besides myself."

This news was hard to swallow and, for a split second, she considered laughing because it was so completely absurd! "Are you saying I'm a damn Locust?!" she hollered while laughing in rude hysterics.

"I'm saying…" Myrrah snapped, causing the female to stop laughing in an instant, "that you are a byproduct. I won't tell you all the horrid details. Simply put, you were made perfect. You've lived a long life, haven't you Sera? Such is not normal for Gears like you, and you know it. Why is that, do you think? Yes, it could very well be skill…but it can also be because we **made** you that way. Like a Locust, you push forward no matter how bad the damage is to your body. You don't know why, but you feel that urge to keep pushing yourself despite the horrible odds. That's what my darling children do. They continue to fight no matter how close to death they are. You're a lethal killing machine and you know it! The only problem is your damn compassion to the humans!"

This couldn't be true! These were all lies, a way to fuck with her head! They must have known she wouldn't take to torture, so instead they came up with this bullshit story to mind fuck her! "Bullshit! If I'm this 'byproduct' you speak of, then how in the hell did I end up with the humans?!" she inquired angrily, her eyes lighting up with blazing fire.

"Because your damn mother betrayed us in the end! She birthed you, got one look of your perfect tiny features and realized she couldn't go through with it any longer. It was bad enough that she had left her only son, but to raise her daughter to be a killer of humanity?! She couldn't go through with it. So she left, she escaped with you bundled in her arms. It wouldn't have been such a problem if she hadn't taken the notes to making the perfect soldier along with. She **destroyed** all that we had worked for because she had suddenly grown a heart!" Myrrah hollered, her eyes ablaze despite the icy coldness they gave off, "She was able to give you to another one of our scientists, paying her enough to take you far away from Jacinto. I couldn't locate the woman and neither could your father. Although grieved by his wife's death, he continued to work under me."

Aasera felt sick to her stomach as she bent forward and gagged, her shackled arm wrapping at her waist. She retched, but nothing came up due to her empty stomach. She wanted these to be lies, but if they were…then why would the queen even bother?! "So…I'm a monster…" she muttered, swallowing hard while closing her eyes.

"You're perfect…" another voice said that startled the young woman on the floor.

"Too right you are, Nergal. She is perfect. Though not in the eyes of your comrades, I'm sure…but to us, you are perfect." Myrrah claimed as she stood out of her seat again and made her way to the back doors, "Take her to her quarters. We will begin the process in a few days…" she ordered.

"Process…what process?" Sera asked shakily.

The Queen turned her head elegantly to the side to smile at the woman, "Why…wiping your memory, of course. I never planned on killing you. Not even when Nergal captured you the first time. I will wipe your memory clean of everything you've ever come to know. You won't remember your friends, your comrades…and you'll be given new memories. All that would benefit me in the end." She noted the pale complexion of Sera and murmured, "It's not as bad as it seems. You're home, after all. You belong here. Do you think your friends or your brother would accept you? Especially when they find out what you are? I think not. At least here you will be welcomed into the open arms of your family. Nergal will get his vengeance, and you will watch when it happens…but you won't remember your lover. You'll stand there, completely oblivious…as he is tortured and killed."

"If you think I'd stand by and let that happen, then you're crazier than I thought!" Sera spat.

Myrrah laughed lightly as she pushed through the doors and into her quarters, looking back to speak before closing said doors behind her, "You won't have a choice, my darling girl. You won't have a choice…because you won't remember a thing."

The doors closed; the sound booming through the room. Sera sat there, her entire body trembling as Nergal closed the distance between himself and her. She felt the shackles being released from her wrists and his hands gripping her biceps to pull her up off the ground. The realization that this was it, the end, was painful and excruciating. She knew they had the capabilities to brainwash people. After all, that's what happened to Maria. Deep down, she hoped that Seth would **never** come looking for her. That no one would search for her, for that matter.

"Its better this way…" Nergal spoke as he unhooked the buttons of his collar to expose a portion of his face, one that seemed more human now that she could see under the cowl. "No more heartache, no more wondering if you'll ever be able to see Raldoran again. You won't have to feel the pain every time you pass by each other and can't express how you feel towards the other. A true man would have expressed his wants despite the consequences. If he truly loved you, he would have told his superiors that he wanted to be with you, that they should deal with that fact and moved on because together you could be great soldiers."

"Shut up…" she snarled weakly as he led her towards her quarters. _More like my new prison. It doesn't matter if I can't remember after this; I'll still be a prisoner because I didn't have a choice. I was forced._


	6. Common Ground

**Author's Note: **The Gears find out about Sera being missing and resolve to find her, finding common ground in the fact that they all need her. The latter section is, as said, weeks later. Again, I tried to add in some canon parts from the books, but in order to do this story I had to change some things.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gears of War or Epic Games.

**Disturbing Revelations**

By Ghedea

Chapter Six – Common Ground

Damon Baird hopped out of the Raven with Marcus, Dom, and granny (Bernie Mataki) with a certain downtrodden expression upon his features. He had just heard the news about Dom and Maria on the ride to Port Farrell and found it rather unsettling. It wasn't because he didn't know what to say to Dom, but how Dom could just act so nonchalant about the ordeal. _I mean c'mon! He had to kill his own wife! Anyone would be a little fucked up after having to do __**that**__._ He thought while casting an unsure glance at Santiago. He knew that if he had ever lost someone that close, he'd go into a fit of rage if not become an emotional wreck.

For all that people may portray him to be; Baird was a man with compassion. He may be blunt and rather sarcastic, always ready with some quip or smart ass remark, but he knew when the time to shut up was appropriate…and this was one of those times. He felt weary, so beyond tired that he was sure he could pass out the moment his blonde head hit the pillow. That's when he saw Sierra squad walking around asking questions to various civilians. Something seemed wrong about that scene, and it took him only a second to figure it out. Apparently Marcus had realized it as well, for he strode towards the group as if he were a man on a mission. Dom peered at Baird for a second with a cocked brow before the two followed in hurried steps behind the man.

"Hey!" Marcus hollered as he approached the three Sierra squad members, his icy blue eyes shifting from one face to the other, "Where the hell is your Sergeant?"

Jerome's face scrunched in emotion as he peered over at Izzy who merely shook his head and turned his sights upon Lisa. The woman stepped up to the plate, her nervous gaze shifting over the war hero before she spoke, "I…she…stayed back in Jacinto to get more of the civvies out before it sunk."

Baird watched from the side and took note of the many emotions washing over Marcus' face at Evans words. He felt a prickle at the back of his neck, causing his gaze to shift over the crowds of people to land upon a pair of mismatched brown hues narrowed upon the group of Gears. _That's right, fucker. She isn't here._ He thought angrily. There was no love lost between the two Gears, that of which was evident just by the scathing glares they shot back at each other.

Everything seemed to come to a standstill when a rather large armored trunk came to a skidding halt just at the perimeter of Port Farrell. Baird's heart twisted ruthlessly within his chest as he watched civilians step out; men, women, and children alike with one Gear stepping out of the driver side of the cab. Said Gear snapped his helmeted gaze towards the group and hurried towards them with a few men following along behind them. He had a feeling, in that very moment, that he wasn't going to like the outcome of this day.

"Sergeant Fenix…" the Gear spoke in a grave tone.

Marcus turned his rough gaze on the man and all seemed to go eerily quiet just due to the tone in the man's voice, "What is it Private?" he snarled, bracing himself for whatever this man had to tell him. He felt several others step up behind him, two of those being Anya Stroud and Victor Hoffman who had come to wish him congratulations on a job well done.

"Sir…" he snapped to attention, as if just realizing he was in the presence of superiors before easing when Hoffman nodded his head, "I, we…" he broke, his voice trembling.

A civilian man stepped up and placed a hand on the Gear's shoulder, "There's no easy way to say this, Sir. But we were the people your sister had picked up."

"Really…?" Marcus started, his expression hard and almost loathing, "If that's the case, then where the fuck is my sister?"

Two children walked up to the men, a boy and a girl, their eyes searching up at Marcus with fear glazing their innocent eyes. The Gear placed a hand on the boy's shoulder as he mustered the courage to speak, "She had got us to safety but jumped out when she saw these two stranded back towards the main gates. When she was on her way back, the ground beneath her started to cave in. She had dropped the little girl and told her to make a run for it just as she was swallowed. When we went to help, she was barely hanging on with this young boy clutching upon her hand dangling just above the torrent waters swirling in. Sgt. Fenix had pulled him up, allowing him to crawl on her until we could grab them. When I went to help her she told me to come here, to Port Farrell, and released. I don't think she could hold on any longer. Her fingers were slipping as it was. The fact that she was able to hold on with the boy as long as she did was amazing."

"It's our fault…" the little girl spoke as her head bowed forward, tears streaming down her cheeks, "If she hadn't come back for us she would have still been alive."

Marcus had lost his resolve and dropped down to one knee to look the children in the eyes, "It's not your fault. She did…what she had to do in order to save a few more lives. Sera would have been severely grieved if she hadn't done what she had to…and she wouldn't want you thinking that way. Understand?" When he received a nod from both of the kids, he stood back up and stared at the civilians. There were at least forty of them, all piling out of the vehicle right at that moment.

"I saw her…" a voice spoke, that belonging to Bernie Mataki, "well, I'm pretty sure I saw her. When I was barely hanging on to that building you guys found me on I swear I saw her, or someone, hanging onto one of the troikas on the towers. When I was waiting for someone to find me, I looked over but didn't see her any longer…so I think she might have made it out. After all, she **is** your sister, Marcus. I think if anyone can make it out of that aside from me, it would be her."

Though hearing granny's word eased his troubled mind and heart, it didn't completely cast the worry away. The fact of the matter was, Sera was still out there in the blistering cold night with possibly no shelter and who knows what else that might still be wandering around. Once again he felt the prickle and knew that Raldoran was quite possibly listening in on the conversation. Baird felt uneasy about this whole predicament, as if something was telling him that his best friend was in more danger than any of them really expected. He knew that was the reason for Seth's hate towards him, because at one point Sera and he had dated before Emergence Day happened. They were strictly best friends now, though…nothing more. But he was sure the man thought otherwise, which in the end really pissed off Baird because that was basically saying Sera was some common hussy. If only the man really knew how devoted she was to him!

After all, Damon had seen Aasera at her lowest points. She was irritable and stressed, attempting to mask the feelings she had for the bastard for **his** sake. Baird knew, as did everyone else in Delta and Sierra Squad. No one said anything, not even Marcus, which had surely surprised the hell out of the blonde. He thought that if anyone would snap at the relationship between Seth and Sera it would be him. But he stayed out of it, playing aloof and ignorant…for his sister's sake.

Marcus pivoted upon his booted heels to look at Hoffman who, for the first time in a long time, expressed emotions. "What do we do, _sir_?" he asked through gritted teeth, the tension so thick that one could cut it with a knife.

Colonel Hoffman stood there, contemplating all the options before releasing a weary sigh and saying, "Sierra squad will be sent out on a search. Take a KR unit, search the perimeter of Jacinto. If you can't see her that way, then I suggest you find a drop off point and search on foot. I can't afford to let Delta go out. I still need you guys here…that's the best that I can offer."

Surprisingly Marcus didn't fight the subject, but instead dropped his head into a bow and released a rough grunt. He could've gone against orders, but everything was such a damn mess that he didn't want to take the chance of fucking things up. So instead, he turned to eye what was left of Sierra squad and barked, "Find her...because regardless of what any of you might think, we still **need** her. **I **need her…" With that, he turned to follow Hoffman and Stroud back to where Control had been temporarily set up. As he walked, he passed by Seth Raldoran and cast him a hard sidelong glare, expressing somehow with his eyes that he **knew** about their relationship. Marcus Fenix didn't need words for people to understand him, they knew just by a damn glare.

It wasn't Seth's fault; it was no one's fault…not even Sera's. It just happened to be one of those fucked up situations that tended to happen no matter how hard a person tried to avoid it. Still, Baird couldn't help harboring ill intentions towards the man. He had a good thing in Sera. She had a habit of changing everyone for the better, even if it was minuscule in size. To lose her was to lose a piece of themselves in the process.

"Gear up…we're going to search for our Sergeant." Corporal Evans said with renewed strength in her voice as she made her way to Gettner's Raven.

**-o0o-**

**A few weeks later…**

The search had ended in torment when they tracked down the last place Sera had been. They used heat signature readings to track down the woman. When they had come across her trail they realized that she must have been through there hours before they reached the spot. The trail was growing cold, literally, as the snow descended rapidly and the wind picked up fiercely. When they had reached the building, one that Jerome and Izzy remembered picking up their Sgt. along with the Lt. a long time ago, they were disappointed to see that she wasn't there.

But then they came across an unusual reading, stating that someone else had been there with her. It wasn't exactly human, but it didn't exactly match the readings of a Locust either. This alarmed the trio, for they couldn't believe that a Locust would just come in and not kill the woman. Then again, they had been capturing humans and harvesting them as brainwashed tools, who's to say they wouldn't continue to do so now? Still, it didn't make sense. Then they found the Reaver tracks and knew that it had been a Locust.

They had failed Marcus in finding the woman. They could have **had** her if they had known so much sooner! Jerome and Izzy sat by, idly staring at the ground beneath their feet as the tension continued to get heavier. Delta Squad had been busy taking care of some things down by the port, finding out that there were supplies hidden beneath the old base. It was in that moment that all of Delta Squad had shown up, looking weary but rather happy by their findings. That is, until they got one look at the solemn faces that greeted them by Sierra Squad.

Before Marcus could even ask, Evans was already in the process of speaking. After explaining to the men what they had come across, she frowned and said, "She was still alive. That much we knew. Whoever it was that took her is in association with the Locusts and their Queen."

"You don't think they'd stay around Mount Kadar, do you?" Dom asked as he turned his sights on Marcus, who stood there with a masked face upon his features, "I don't think so. They'd be bat-shit crazy to stay there."

"We know that the bitch got away…but there's no way she could have been prepared for us sinking Jacinto on them. Tend to one they've got a temporary outpost somewhere." Baird said -- his knowledge of the Locust going beyond anyone else's.

Marcus stood by quietly for a few minutes, as if contemplating the options within his mind. When he suddenly turned, he had caught everyone off guard. "I'll be right back." He stated roughly.

"What are you going to do?" Dom asked, following the man despite the fact that Marcus might not want him to come. Marcus had been there for him, for so many years…since at a very young age. It was his turn to help in any way that he could.

Marcus paused and turned his head so that his icy orbs regarded the two squads, "There's only one way we will be able to find her. We don't have the equipment, but I know the one person that would."

"Shit…" Baird snarled as he, too, followed Fenix…along with all the others, "Then we're coming, too. This affects all of us, Marcus." The others agreed, and as they all started making their way towards the camp set up for the Special COG unit, another voice hailed them, "Don't expect me to sit idly by, Fenix."

It belonged to Colonel Hoffman, and beside him stood Anya Stroud who regarded him with pleading eyes. Marcus damn near snarled as he turned to face Hoffman, "You going to fucking stop me?"

The man stood there, tall and proud, while eyeing the Fenix brother and placed a firm hand up as if to halt his talking. "I plan to come with you. There's already a lot Prescott has been hiding from us, and I believe he may know more about the Locust than he's letting on. First with the supplies under the base, and now the fact that there's a Naval base on one of the islands that's still inhabiting COG members…" he said roughly, his elderly features straining to hold back the contempt for Prescott, "I want answers, and I want my Gear back. So let's go, Fenix. What happens and what is said will remain just between us and no one else. Believe it or not, I **do** care about her just as much as you."

"Well then…" Marcus said, shocked by his superior officer's confession, "let's do this." And with that, the group of Gears made their way to see the one person that could help find Sera's location…Lt. Seth Raldoran.


	7. According to Plan

**Author's Note: **Just a little taste of what's to come with Sera's mind now being meddled with. Nothing much else to say about it other than I hope it's liked.

**Disclaimer: **Still don't own Epic Games or Gears of War.

**Disturbing Revelations**

By Ghedea

Chapter Seven – According to Plan

**Back at the Locust's Temporary Outpost**

"How is she taking the treatments?" the lulling voice of Myrrah's accentuated elegantly as her icy orbs shifted towards Nergal with a passive expression. It had been weeks since her second in command had captured the infamous Aasera Fenix, and so far things were going according to plan. They had chosen this outpost solely for its desolate qualities. After all, she didn't think the bloody humans would ever consider coming back here.

Nergal stood there quietly, his eyes settling upon the female inside the stasis tank. He found wonderment in the way she floated inside the tube of water, how peaceful she appeared despite the grueling regiments she was being exposed to. "She was a bit stubborn the first week." He explained as his eyes fell onto the chart.

Myrrah stood there with her hands folded in front of her, watching Sera with an almost motherly expression forming upon her pretty features, "Stubborn?" she inquired thoughtfully as a hand settled against the thick glass tubing.

"Yes…" he stated with a nod as he watched his creator's eyes and envied the expression. She had never once peered at him like that. But he supposed that was because he hadn't turned out the way Sera had. A mucked up creation that was neither human nor Locust, he just was. He went on to explain when his Queen peered at him, "A strong mind is hard to break, my Queen. She refused to give in at first, but I managed to break her when informing her that no one was looking for her. That she was nothing more than a blimp in their society and that they couldn't be bothered to look for a troublesome Gear such as her."

She tutted as her gaze shifted back to Sera, "So you lied to her…" she spoke with an almost amused after tone in her voice.

"I didn't have much of a choice. And even after I told her those things it took several more days until she passed out from exhaustion." He continued while crossing his arms behind his back, "We couldn't go right to wiping her memory, not with how stubborn she seemed to be. So we had to take a different route by brainwashing her. Same effect in the long run…she'll believe that she's always been here, fighting for our beliefs."

"But she'll retain what all the other humans have…the glazed over expression. I don't want her that way." Myrrah snapped.

Nergal winced and sighed, "We've started the mind wiping process now that she's let down her internal walls. I've made sure that she hasn't gone to the extent of the other humans. But you must remember my queen that she is not like ordinary humans. She reacts differently to everything. It had to be done. The last time I checked her vitals and her responses she was perfectly fine, if not a little dazed by what was going on. Right now she only retains flashes of memories. I told her they were effects from the procedure, that she would have hallucinations. She now believes me when I say they are not real images, but mere illusions that her mind has conjured up."

"Why is she still in there?" she asked.

"Ah, well...she insisted for it. She thought if I did it for her the images would stop in general. She told me that it hurt to have the _illusions_. Sera refused to explain why for the simple fact that she thinks you may look down on her for it. She wants to be strong…for you." He said with a hint of triumph in his tone.

To that, Myrrah smiled warmly as her fingers idly pressed against the various buttons to release the fluid within the tank. Within moments the tank had shifted and was now lying horizontally in front of her with the front of the tube open. Sera lay within, sleeping still until the queen turned that effect off as well. She watched in anticipation as the woman's eyelids fluttered and opened to reveal the same honey-brown orbs that she remembered from weeks ago. Despite being completely drenched, the woman retained an almost ethereal beauty that Myrrah refused to touch. "Good morning…" she said in an almost gentle tone.

"My queen…" Sera muttered; her head bowing in respect as Nergal gently helped her out of the stasis tank. She wasn't surprised by the way Nergal wrapped a towel around her lithe features, almost as if they had always done this since the beginning of time. "Is there something wrong?"

Myrrah shook her head and smile as a hand reached out to push away the damp locks from Aasera's features. Even she was surprised by how gentle she was being with the woman, but that didn't stop her from doing it. "Nothing is wrong, my child. I've simply come to pay you a visit. It has been too long, has it not? Come; let's get you into something more fitting. I don't think you wish to stay in that drenched outfit, now do you?" she chortled, leading Sera towards her quarters with Nergal trailing behind them.

Upon reaching Sera's quarters, Nergal noticed that the outfit Myrrah had chosen for the woman resembled the queen's, in a way. He wondered idly if his queen saw Sera as something more than just a project she had once created and slightly envied Sera for it. He turned his back on the two so that Aasera may dress, his eyes scanning the walls of the derelict room. Why Myrrah had chosen to come back to this place was beyond him, but far be it for him to argue with her. When given the permission to turn, he did and nearly gawked at the image before him.

He had been so used to seeing Sera the Gear, the sister of Marcus Fenix who could kick ass and take names as she so pleased. The woman standing before him and his queen appeared so absolutely regal, her ethereal beauty accentuated – almost softened by the ensemble. It had been cut appropriately for her when she needed to go into battle, freely allowing her to move quickly and violently. She had always been beautiful, but now she was…well, there were just no words for what she was now.

Myrrah admired the woman greatly and was absolutely pleased that the outfit adorned her body perfectly, as if it were part of her body to begin with. The bodice tightly hugged her upper torso, held up by the halter-like straps that criss-crossed behind her exposed upper back. The lower half equally hugged her form like that body glove she used to wear with her gear, only it was made of tougher material just as the upper half had been made. Near indestructible and hard to penetrate through. It matched the dark tones that were used for the Theron Guard armor, black with lines of red. It was regal in appearance even though it wasn't a gown, which was what the queen was going for.

Sera stared down at the outfit and raised her gaze up to register the queen's reaction. The woman seemed very pleased, and by this Fenix nodded and offered a tiny smile. If it pleased her queen, then that's all that mattered. "Thank you, my queen…" Sera murmured in a soft voice and bowed her head.

"You're welcome, Sera…" she said, reaching out once again to push the long locks of ebony behind the woman's shoulder, "I must be on my way. Please relax, my darling girl…you too, Nergal." With that, Myrrah pivoted upon her heels and made her way out of the room.

Nergal watched Aasera even after Myrrah had left, his eyes scoping the female to register any differences in her demeanor. For a moment he thought Sera was merely playing along, but then he realized that she truly was under the thrall they had placed upon her. "How are you feeling today, Sera?" he inquired, his arms now pressed against his sides.

"I'm feeling fine. No images to haunt me…I think the final treatment worked. But it may be too soon to tell." She answered wholeheartedly as she strode over to the large window and settled into the chair beside it to look out at the constant rainfall. "May I be so bold as to ask where we are?"

He followed the woman until he was standing directly behind her whilst she sat in the chair, his hand coming to a rest upon her dainty bare shoulder. "Where it all began…" he started, a slight smile forming beneath the collar of his trench, "Where we were all born, for a lack of better words. It hadn't been used for so long, but the queen felt it was best to return here if only for the time being. We have the better quarters compared to the others. I believe these were our creators living quarters so long ago."

"It rains a lot here, doesn't it?" she inquired again, her head tilting back so that her eyes could peer up at Nergal, "But it also gets so hot and humid, too. I think I prefer the rain over the heat and humidity."

He laughed at that, a genial laugh that surprised even him as he patted her shoulder. "That's why no one comes out here. It's practically barren. It's most often too hot or too rainy to attract anyone's attention. The others are looking for a more suitable location, I assure you." He stated, his eyes reaching down to settle upon hers. She appeared inquisitive today, to which he would try to accommodate for her. "Is there anything else on your mind?"

"Is it true about your arm? That it had been…severed?" she asked, carefully at that…as if fearing he might snap at her.

He merely nodded as his gaze shifted to the window. Thankfully she couldn't see the devious grin forming upon his lips. "That's quite a story. One that I'm sure you can't remember. You were there, you know that?" he asked, and when receiving a shake of her head, he continued, "Sometimes the procedure does that. There was a Gear, one with mismatched hues that came in to the Hollows one day. He tried to take you away from us, kill you…and when I tried to stop him, he severed my arm off." Nergal knew that he was feeding her lies, but he felt it would help him in the long run for his vengeance against that bastard.

Sera gasped as she turned in her chair to look at the Commander, her eyes wide and full of shock. Eventually the gaze hardened as her lips curled into a devastatingly menacing frown, "Is he still alive?" she inquired, to which he nodded which caused her eyes to darken.

"He will come again to finish his job, to kill you…me, the queen." He continued filling her head with lies, at least the part about them coming to kill her, "They hate what we are, what you are…for you are a threat to them. Humans will never understand…"

"I won't let it happen…" she said solidly, her eyes narrowed as she turned back to the window, "I won't let them come near you or the queen. I'll fight to the death if I must, if only to keep you both safe."

He felt a certain glee at her words and squeezed her shoulder. Should she die, it would be a horrible loss, but one of which he would reap. If Seth killed her, the Gear would be grieved and sent on a downward spiral. "We'll get our vengeance one day, my sweet Sera. For now you must rest as the queen has ordered. If you need me, you know where to find me…" he said as the tip of his talon fingers dragged gently through her ebon hair before turning on his heels and leaving the room. Yes, already his plans were in motion. He knew it was risky to go against the queens orders, but what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her…not really.


	8. Confrontations

**Author's Note: ** Seth Raldoran finally makes a full appearance in this Chapter. The Gears confront him for help to find Sera. Dom snaps a little, which I pulled from the book a little.

**Disclaimer: ** I still don't own Epic Games or the Gears of War franchise. I **do** own the games and the books, though.

**Disturbing Revelations**

By Ghedea

Chapter Eight - Confrontations

**Port Farrell, Special COG Units Camp**

"It's fucking cold out there!" exclaimed Eric Kasarta of Wraith Squad, his hands furiously rubbing at his biceps as he scurried over to his cot and plopped down, "Damn near froze my balls off while taking a damn piss!"

Naomi Troy rolled her eyes in annoyance as she silently sat to the side while she fingered a tool that was used to clean out the Lancer's bayonet of blood and gore, "Thanks, Kasarta…because we **all** needed to know the details of your anatomy." She drawled.

Suth stood nearby, snickering at his superior officer's words as he busied himself with cleaning his own favored weapon. Anthony idly wondered why those two always seemed to grate on each other's nerves more often than not, but never bothered to question. After all, they had all been together since they were first inducted into the secret intelligence unit of COG. Maybe it was their personal way of venting out their frustrations and irritations. "I do have to agree with him, ma'am. It really is that cold out there. I've heard that it's gotten so bad that some of the civvies took off with the Stranded to find another place because people have been dying left and right from hypothermia."

"Can it…" Troy muttered, her sharp eyes glaring dangerously at the duo for a split second before darting over to her Lieutenant. It had already gotten around the rumor mill about what happened to Sergeant Aasera Fenix. Though he tried very hard to mask his concern, she knew him better than anyone else did. He took that blow to the heart, and though she didn't very much get along with the Fenix woman, she too didn't react well to the news. Maybe it was because of the fact her LT was taking it so damn hard, but most of all, it was the fact that she had come to respect the dark-haired Gear despite the trouble that could be caused from their relationship.

The reason Raldoran was taking it so hard was because he couldn't do anything to help the search. They had their own missions lined up after they had arrived in Port Farrell. She could only ponder the hell he was experiencing, the not knowing…was she alive or dead? Naomi came to understand **why** Sera reacted so badly when she thought Seth was dead, or when she hadn't heard from him in weeks at a time. But there was nothing they could do. Captain Miller made sure of that the moment they were set in this frozen hell.

Seth remained absolutely quiet, his mismatched brown hues peering down at his calloused hands for what seemed like hours. So many questions ran through his mind when he actually had time on his hands. And all of them dealt strictly with Sera. He remembered the icy orbs belonging to Marcus Fenix staring coldly upon him, and in that instance he knew that their secret was out. If that were the case, then why hadn't he been properly dealt with? It was fraternization to be in a relationship with her because of their ranks, after all. Surely Colonel Price or Captain Miller would have approached him by now! But they didn't, unless it was to send Wraith on another mission or offer them a 'job well done'. Was it possible that Marcus was keeping his mouth shut, perhaps to save his younger sister from getting into trouble?

He shook his head before burying his face into his hands, his head throbbing as the constant questions came back to him at full speed. _Where __**are**__ you, Sera? Why haven't you returned? What in the blazes is going on?!_ He thought, these unanswered questions fucking with his psyche. All he wanted was to know that she was okay. He tried to find out more information after Sierra was sent out to look for her, but had come up with absolutely nothing. Then again, it wasn't easy to obtain information when one was rarely ever here, right? Maybe he would…wander over to the Gears part of the barracks to see if she was there. She **had** to be there!

The sound of a door opening rather roughly startled the whole lot of them as a full group of Gears entered without a care in the world. Troy stood with the Lancer gripped tightly within her hands, her eyes narrowing in on the intruders. She recognized the group immediately and suddenly felt ice cold, and it wasn't from the weather. Marcus Fenix stood at the forefront of this small group, his menacing blue eyes scanning the area before coming to a full stop upon her LT. "Uh-oh…" she muttered as she quickly stormed to Seth's side.

Seth stood as well, absolutely flabbergasted to see Marcus Fenix, as well as all of Delta and Sierra Squad (which still lacked their Sergeant). But it wasn't just the two squads that made him feel ill, but the fact that Colonel Victor Hoffman and Anya Stroud from Control, and the older South Islander woman known as Bernie had followed them as well. _This is it…_ he thought, thinking that the time had come for his fraternizing to be brought up. All he ever had was the job of being a killer, the war… _And Aasera…_ his mind hissed, as if angry at him for even daring to forget about **her**. He stood there, waiting for the inevitable punch from a protective older brother, prepared to take the heat of this escalating situation. But the hit never came…

"We need your help…" Marcus muttered, begrudgingly at that, as he came to a full stop just a few feet away from Raldoran, his icy glare softening a little as he thought of his sister. Taken by those damn ugly grubs, **again**! "We need your help because you're the only ones that can give it to us. We don't have the equipment." He finished speaking, his voice rough and sounding as if it were in excruciating pain.

Seth's brow furrowed slightly as his mismatched hues darted from one Gear to the next, wondering what in the hell they were talking about and why in the hell they would bother coming to **him** about it. Here stood Marcus Fenix, a war hero from the Pendulum Wars…a man that was fighting while he himself was merely a child. This was the man that took on RAAM and lived to see another day, not to mention survive Jacinto's hellish prison for four years and **not** become a total psychopath. He was a legend in his own right, and here he was asking **him** for help. "Why come to me? You should be talking to Colonel Price or Captain Miller if you want to use equipment." He said in a rather flat voice, "What the hell is this all about?"

Marcus curled his fingers as he cooled his sudden spike of anger. The son-of-a-bitch was acting so cool and aloof while **his** fucking sister was off being brutalized, if not worse, by the fucking Locusts! This was the man Sera had fallen in love with? Really?! It angered him to no end, yet still he managed to retain that cool Fenix charm. His roughened tiers parted as he prepared to speak, "We don't have time to go through all the red tape. This is **important**. **You** are our only option…"

This time it was Naomi to speak, "What's going on, Sergeant Fenix? We have to know why this is so important. Do you realize how much trouble we could be in if we were to just give you the equipment?" she said, trying to alleviate the stress from her Lieutenant's shoulders.

"We don't want just your equipment; we need **you** to help us **with** said equipment. And they say you're from intelligence…" Baird spat angrily, his own azure hues dangerous and filled with contempt.

Raldoran frowned at that man, his hostile and jealous nature returning in an instant when it came to Damon Baird. The man had been with Sera at one time, **his** Sera! Even though they only dated for a couple of months and broke it off because they were better as friends, he still couldn't help harboring these feelings…even when Sera wasn't around. _Not around…_ the voice hissed again and suddenly he felt extremely overwhelmed. "Why the fuck would I want to help **you** out? You're so goddamn intelligent, why don't you figure out how to get the fucking equipment you need? I can't be bothered with your trivial bullshit." He spat back with venom. He would soon come to regret saying those words or acting like such a jackass. Oh if only he had known sooner, he could have saved himself a lot of pain…not to mention heartache.

Marcus snapped as he took a large step forward and clocked Seth upside the head with a powerfully massive fist. Fenix had been known to be a guy that's hard to upset. He had been picked on when he first came to Jacinto by boys that thought he was either too different for their standards, or just because his family was rich. He didn't care, he'd let them get their bullshit out. But then one boy stood up for him, that being Carlos Santiago, Dom's big brother. Carlos thought, at that time, that the skinny dark-haired boy would be pummeled to the floor. He soon came to realize that Marcus was a force to be reckoned with if one were to get on his bad side. And unfortunately for Seth, he had just gotten on Marcus' bad side. Dom saw it coming from a mile away the moment those words left Raldoran's lips and didn't even bother to stop his friend.

"I thought you loved her…but apparently I was wrong." Marcus snarled, ignoring the fact that he had the muzzle of Troy's Lancer pressed against his cheek.

Seth rubbed at his head, his glaring eyes widening at Fenix's words. "Wait…what?" he stammered, his heart rate spiking as he suddenly felt very dizzy. "I do…but…what does this have to do with her?" he asked, confused and rather distraught.

In that second, Marcus felt sorry for the man as he pulled back. He felt a lump get caught in his throat as he tried so very hard to talk about Sera, only to find out that he wouldn't be able to. Fenix felt two separate hands settle against his shoulders. One came from Baird who gave him the look that said he would tell the man. The other hand was gentle, soft, and so fragile. It belonged to Anya, who peered at him with understanding eyes and a concerned express. He nodded a little, in appreciation, as he backed away a few more steps…allowing Baird to take the reins.

"It has **everything** to do with Sera." He stated in a gruff voice, his eyes welling up with unshed tears as he mustered the strength to go on. "You may want to sit down, Raldoran…because you're not going to like what I have to say." He said before continuing a second later, after Seth had declined to taking a seat, "Don't say I didn't warn you. I don't even have to tell you about Sera having not made it back to Port Farrell with the survivors she had saved. You probably even know about Sierra having to go out and find her. Am I correct?"

"Yes…I overheard everything." He stated, his voice shaky as it felt like a hand was gripping at his heart, strangling it, "Is she okay? What happened? Was she hurt?"

Baird sighed, a heavy sigh that spoke volumes all on its own. "We don't know. They did manage to find her whereabouts via heat signature, but the trail ended up cold. She had sheltered up in that old building we found you two in." he said, heavy at heart as he thought about the next words that he was about to speak, "They found another heat signature that didn't belong to human, nor does it match the Locust fully. We do know that whoever it is just happens to be in affiliation with the Locust…because there were Reaver tracks just outside the building, along with this entity's footsteps…and Sera's."

"S-so what…what are you trying to say?" said a voice, a feminine one that obviously belonged to Naomi.

Damon turned his icy optics onto the woman before turning back to Seth's gaze, "She was taken away by that very entity. He was the only one there; no other Locusts were even in the vicinity. Sierra had found her heat signature on the bed in the upper part of the building, so we know she was asleep. Her Boltok pistol, ammo, and combat knife were tossed on the ground which suggests whoever it was had approached her when she had let down her guard. Sierra also knew that she had surveyed the entire area before even going inside. She believed that she was alone, otherwise she wouldn't have fallen asleep…and you **know** Sera. She's been having trouble sleeping, let alone dropping her guard for even a second after being taken last time. There were times when she told me, told all of us, that she felt as if she were being watched even though no one was around. None of us believed her, told her she was paranoid because it was such a traumatic experience."

Raldoran collapsed down onto the cot, his hands trembling as he settled them against his knees. Yes, she had been paranoid and had claimed that she believed the mysterious Locust Commander was still out there, watching and waiting. Was it possible that…no, no way…right? He wasn't so sure now. Hell, he wasn't sure of anything anymore. All that was certain was that Aasera had been captured. "When was she taken?" he asked in a rather small voice.

"Same day Jacinto fell…" Corporal Evans answered with a shaky voice full of distraught.

"But that was…that was weeks ago! She's been gone for weeks?! Is that what you're telling me?!" he hollered, his fist colliding into the cot's fabric.

"That's what we're telling you, son." Hoffman muttered; his own dark eyes full of sadness. "That is why we need your help. We can't do this alone. We need **your **help to bring her back. We want you to come with us, you and your squad."

Silence filled the barrack's room as they all stood there, waiting for an answer. Seth finally spoke, though his words weren't at all what any of them were expecting, "I can't. You know as well as I do what I would have to say in order to do this. I just can't…it's against all that I've been taught." He said with a sad voice.

Out of anyone that was ready to snap to his words, the last person anyone expected to react so harshly was Dom. The man rushed through the crowd of Gears and literally snatched the man by the neck, uncaring that he had weapons leveled on him. With his free hand, he pulled out a picture that all of them knew all too well. It was tattered, yellowed, and curled around the edges, even torn at some sections. It had definitely seen better days, not to mention happier times. He shoved it in front of Seth's face and growled, "See this woman? She's my wife…she…she **was** my wife! I've been looking for her for ten fucking years, man…ten **years**! And do you know what I found…when I finally found her?! Those fucking grubs had brainwashed her! Fucked with her mind to the point that she didn't even **remember me**! She was an empty shell when I found her! And do you know what I had to do? I had to kill her…to spare her, to release her from that torment! She had been captured by them in **weeks** before I found her! **That's** what awaits Sera if we don't find her in time. I hope to **god** you won't have to do what I did! I would do **anything **for **her**! But all I could do in the end was kill her…" he gasped, glaring eyes full of tears and pent up devastation, "If you truly loved her…if you truly **love** her, you'd do anything for her…even if it meant sacrificing everything you've been taught and ordered to do."

Seth remained absolutely flabbergasted by this news and felt his entire would crash all around him. He loved her. He loved her more than anything in the world. Living a life without her just wasn't possible. If he couldn't see her, smell her, or touch her ever again…he didn't know what he would do. It wasn't a life worth living if she couldn't be in it. And then to think of her, reduced to nothing…no smile, no laughter, not even that stubborn banter…no… "How do you expect me to help if they take away my security clearance? Because that's what'll happen when they find out." He said gravely.

Hoffman spoke again, "That won't be a problem. Prescott **owes** me. And as you know, Chairman Prescott overrules even **your** superiors. In this time, in this day and age…fraternization isn't the concern of the COG. Not in a time of extinction for the human race. You won't lose your rank, or your squad…I'll be damn sure that doesn't happen. You have my word…and I **always** keep my word."

"Please…" another voice spoke up, this one belonging to Marcus, "if you don't want to do this for us, do it for Sera. Do it because, like us, you want her back…because you love her."

The man was actually pleading, something no one ever though him capable of doing. And yet it didn't make him a lesser man, it made him a man full of compassion and love. A man that truly loved his sister, wanted to protect her and keep her safe from harm. Seth stared at the man and understood why Marcus fought this war as hard as he did and always pull through even in the stickiest situations. He didn't just do it out of hatred from the Locust. He did it for the human race, but most of all…for the people he cherished and loved. It also made him realize why Sera did the things she did half the time, even if they were reckless at times.

"And we can go too?" Troy asked.

Suth stepped up, "We won't let you do this alone, boss. We'll be right behind you…all the way."

Even Kasarta, normally such a jokester, stood up and nodded firmly in affirmation, "We'll help you get her back."

Seth stood quietly, his eyes focused upon Dominic for a few moments before nodding his head. "Get a KR unit ready, set up the equipment and gear up…prepare for the worst." He said before settling his gaze on Marcus, and then to Baird. The two men nodded, coming to an understanding for once. "You'll have to speak to the Captain right away, Colonel Hoffman…if you want to get out of here within the hour."

"I'm already on it…" Hoffman stated as he walked out of the barracks to take care of business while everyone else split ways long enough to gear up and collect their weapons. The easy part was done and out of the way, now came the hard part…finding Sera.


	9. Stories and Confessions

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gears or Epic. I only own the books, the figures, the huge ass Lancer, a poster signed by Lester (the voice of Cole Train), a few pictures I took with him, and naturally…the games.

**Disturbing Revelations**

By Ghedea

Chapter Nine – Stories and Confessions

**Chairman Prescott's Temporary Office**

He stood quietly in Prescott's office, his eyes seemingly dark as they watched Colonel Price and Captain Miller enter the Chairman's office. Well, it wasn't much of an office to be perfectly honest. Hoffman had seen better pseudo-offices in the Stranded inhabited areas. Control had promptly set up a quarters for the man in what he was sure was once part of the actual barracks. It was dank, dark, and rather depressing. Victor was utterly surprised by the fact that Prescott hadn't drunk himself into a stupor with how dreary it seemed. As much as he hated to admit it, Richard knew how to handle any situation that was thrown at him…and this would be no different.

"Colonel Hoffman, Chairman Prescott sir…how may we help you today?" Captain Miller spoke with an air of arrogance in his tone, "I suspect this to be urgent or else you wouldn't have pulled me out of a meeting with my soldiers."

Richard Prescott had been standing at the window for quite some time, his gaze piercing out into the growing darkness. "Anything I have to say is urgent, _Captain._" Richard hissed coolly as he turned upon the heel of his right foot to glance over at the black-clad uniformed man, "My Gears need one of your squad and your equipment along with two stealth KR units."

A ghost of a smile formed upon Victor's features as he kept his steely gaze upon the men, registering their movements and expression. He may not be from the special COG unit, but he was nothing if not observant and keen. Victor had been sent on many special operations that consisted of stealth when the Pendulum Wars waged. In fact, one of his best men had been Dominic Santiago. While Helen Stroud's unit (Anya's mother as well as Marcus and Carlos superior) kept the enemy at bay, Dom had been sent in to retrieve the blueprints to the Hammer of Dawn. He had made it out alive whilst others had died. Hoffman was still heavy at heart when he thought about what happened to Helen Stroud's unit. She had literally been torn to pieces by a grenade and Carlos had taken the hits to save Marcus. Dom had no idea what happened to his big brother until he returned, which had severely placed a damper on his happiness when his daughter had been born that very same night.

Needless to say, Hoffman as well as half of Delta Squad had seen their fair share of nightmares before Emergence Day happened. So when two upstarts like Miller and Price enter with their proverbial noses stuck in the air, well…he just couldn't help but take offense. His normally light hues settled upon the door as it opened, revealing Marcus and Augustus. Hoffman nodded his head when Marcus paused and placed his hand upon Cole's chest plate, as if waiting to make sure he was allowed in. After their little discussion in sickbay the day before the first sinkhole had emerged, he came to understand why Fenix did what he had to…even if it meant dire consequences. To find your mother's dead body within the Locust tunnels after she had been missing for 15 years had to be one hell of an eye opener. Damn Adam Fenix to the fiery pits of hell. Marcus was a good man, a great soldier…and his reputation had been tarnished and deemed as a deserter because he wanted answers from his father. He never did like that damn scientist, no farther than he could throw Cole…which was highly unlikely with how massive the ex-Thrashball player was.

"You may enter, Sgt. Fenix…we were just about to begin." Richard spoke with an air of intelligence and leadership. The whole of humanity may not have liked his decision with the Hammer Strike so long ago, but it was necessary. The loss of humanity was rising because of the Locusts just within that first year. If he hadn't done what he did, there would be no remaining human left. "As I said, I need a squad and your equipment." He said with his keen eyes staring the two special unit officers steadily and not a bit wavered. It took a lot to disturb him, for he had witnessed too much horrors in life to be taken down by some hoity-toity special ops men who deemed themselves better than the Gears.

"And for what reason do you need such things, Chairman?" Colonel Price spoke, his voice level and unperturbed.

Captain Miller stood to the right side of Price, his eyes watching Marcus Fenix with a steady gaze, one that was given right back. He often wondered why he hadn't retrieved Fenix from Jacinto Maximum Prison and recruited him, for the man would have been an asset to their unit. "We're not going to have a choice in the matter, are we?" he asked, more so to Marcus than to Prescott.

Sergeant Fenix kept his icy blue gaze upon the Captain, his expression betraying nothing as he waited patiently for the results of this impromptu meeting. When Prescott gestured for Marcus to answer, the man stepped up to the Captain, neither abashed nor frightened. "No…you really don't." he said in a steady tone that betrayed the conflicts raging inside of him.

"We should be working together, baby. I don't see what all the fuss is about…" Cole said, his dark eyes focused upon Colonel Price. Of course he was thinking about the whole fraternization concept, especially in this day and age when humanity was dying out. Everyone knew what he meant by that statement, except for the stiff uniforms standing nearby.

Hoffman damn near laughed at Cole's approach. "Leave it to the Cole Train to lighten the mood…" Victor announced as Augustus laughed heartily, "He's right. We're still fighting a war. We're all humans and we need to work together. But if you insist on knowing the reasons…well, please sit down and we shall explain. It is, after all, a very long story...now where to start?"

"The beginning is usually a good place to start, Victor…wouldn't you say?" Prescott said with a slight grin forming his features as he turned back around to stare out the small window. His reason for doing this wasn't just because he owed Hoffman, but because of the secrets he knew…concerning one Aasera Fenix. Perhaps if he had said something, done something, anything at all…they could have watched her back and she wouldn't have gotten captured. Damn himself to the pits of hell for lying to Hoffman when he said he held no more secrets.

**-o0o-**

Seth stood quietly beside the stealth Raven as he awaited the return of Marcus and Cole, his eyes constantly turning down to his wristwatch before shifting back up to see if they were arriving. "I should have gone with them…" he stated for the second time in three minutes as he pulled in his bottom lip and began to gnaw at the flesh with his teeth.

"Seriously, if you can't chill out I really will have to knock you out." Baird said as he continued to examine the equipment that was to help with their search, as well as the King Raven, "These are just amazing…"

Dom chortled as he turned to look at the blonde, his brown eyes lighter than they had been in the weeks since Maria's death, "Do you two need your privacy, Baird? Would you like to have a make-out session with the Raven?"

The blonde popped out, sans a glove, and flipped Dom the bird before returning to inspecting the innards of the KR unit. "You can seriously kiss my ass, Santiago. If you guys would take machinery more seriously, maybe I wouldn't have to be the one to fix it all the goddamn time!" he huffed grumpily as he strained himself to focus. Truth be told, he was trying very hard to keep his mind off Aasera. He did the only thing he could do; focus on something that would keep him busy, his mind busy to be more precise.

"Is he…always like that?" Naomi inquired -- her brow arching as she watched the man putter around to ogle the Raven.

Santiago laughed again and turned his gaze onto the attractive woman, "I'm afraid so. He's always been itching to check out your guys' stuff. It gives him ideas for what we have now, which could be helpful." He stated thoughtfully.

Suth and Kasarta stepped up behind the two and equally stared at the Private, "May we ask why it would be so helpful?" Suth questioned.

"Because as much of a smartass as he is, he's brilliant and knows more about the Locusts than anyone else."

Seth snapped his gaze up to the sound of Marcus' voice and quickly stood up. There was anxiety written across his features, and it wasn't because he was afraid that he might lose his rank or squad. "What's going on? What did they say?" he spat out quickly, his heart rate speeding up as he awaited the answers, "Well?!"

Marcus turned his eyes upon the man and felt his anxiety, for he too felt it. He was certain the man was never the type to express emotions, but he assumed that because of the dire situation he decided to forgo it. "Hoffman gave you his word, didn't he…?" he said, figuring that was more than enough of an answer for the Wraith.

"Marcus and Hoffman were smooooth, baby…" Cole stated as he bound in and saw Damon under the hood of the KR unit, "Baird, man…not again…"

"Can it!" Baird spat at his friend as he pulled his head out from peering at the engines, his eyes focused upon Fenix, "You explained everything? How the hell did they take that shit?"

"We told them everything…" he paused and turned his gaze on Seth's mismatched brown hues, "and I do mean everything. I'll admit; they stared at me as if I had grown a second and third head when I told them. That's when Hoffman stepped in along with Prescott to smooth things over, to make them understand. They're not happy about it, but they can't do shit…unless they're fucking crazy and want to go against the Chairman, which wouldn't be a wise decision."

"Shit no…" Cole said as he stared at the King Raven and wavered in stance, "I wouldn't dare go against that man. You can tell he's all sorts of…wrong…and political."

Naomi stepped up and patted Augustus on the shoulder, "You won't feel a thing, I promise." She said with a small, yet genuine, smile, "I have the same problem as you. Never been a fan of flying."

Cole still looked, if it was possible, a little green in the face, "You sure 'bout that?"

While Troy laughed, Baird patted his greasy hands upon his armor and nodded his head, "Oh she's definitely sure. Not even a highly sensitive in hearing Locust could hear that shit, and it will most certainly run a lot smoother than the regular KR's. That's some fancy work…"

"Well…I suppose we're not stealth for nothing…" Naomi said with a grin as her gaze settled upon Baird's, "I mean, we couldn't get to places secretly if we didn't have something that could get us in and out without being detected.

"Enough of the chitchat!" the brother Fenix called out as he hopped into the Raven alongside Seth just as Hoffman, Bernie, and Anya showed up in their own gear and equipped with weapons. Marcus stared down into Anya's eyes, imploring her to stay…but she offered him that stubborn expression that resembled her mother's. This caused him to sigh as he offered her a hand and pulled her inside. "I don't like this…bad enough my sister isn't safe, I don't want to have to worry about you too…" he said softly to the Lieutenant as he sat down beside Raldoran.

Anya peered at Marcus beneath the veil of blonde and rose a brow, "I'll be fine, and she's my friend damn it…you can't expect me to stay out of this Marcus. I just won't." she spat, a little angry with the man.

Dom smirked, turned his gaze to Hoffman who had equally smirked, and then settled in next to Baird. "So…how exactly are we doing this?" he asked.

"We're splitting up. We have the extra fuel tanks attached, so we shouldn't have to worry about that." Naomi answered as she went to work flicking the switches to bring upon the separate radar, "When one of us has come across what appears to be a Locust outpost, we'll use the other equipment that will allow us to look in deeper and find readings between grubs and humans. The call will be made in to the other team and we'll meet up together."

"Will we have time for that?" Marcus asked out of curiosity. He didn't want to have to wait any longer than needed.

Seth turned a little and nodded, "Why don't you take a look out the window to see for yourself…" he murmured.

Fenix narrowed his eyes, squinting a little to see through the window (for it was very dark, tinted) and blinked, "Damn." They were already off the ground and speeding through the air as if they were on some sort of jet plane, "Wasn't expecting that…let's hope Cole doesn't decide to look outside."

"No shit…" Baird laughed, "Otherwise he'll be taggin' the walls with his lunch."

**-o0o-**

**An hour later, still in the air.**

"Hey Marcus…" Seth said quietly as he peered down at his hands, "how long have you known?"

Fenix sat there just as quietly as he smoothed his fingers over the bayonet of his Lancer. He didn't say anything at first, but he paused in his inspection of the weapon as he lifted his gaze up. "I think a little a couple of weeks after we picked the two of you up from that building." He said roughly as his gaze shifted to the side to peer at Seth, "I take that back. It was a couple of days after when she was acting very snippy with me. I think **you** remember…"

Seth leaned forward, his hands clasped together, "Were we really that obvious?"

Once again the brother Fenix didn't say anything at first as he put the Lancer down onto his lap, his icy gaze shifting to the ceiling. "No…I'm just observant, especially when it's my younger sister. She was acting weird, and I couldn't understand why…until that day when I confronted her about it. She was looking at you…and I understood." Marcus murmured in a grumbling tone, which was a usual sound for the man, "It only confirmed my suspicions after she had been captured…" he winced.

Raldoran winced too at that word, his heart feeling as if it had a vise grip upon it, "I remember when I heard her voice…I couldn't believe it, I didn't want to believe it was her down there…"

"Do you know what happened to her? She hates talking about it for so many different reasons..." He asked, realizing that he was speaking about her as if she were safe and not in the hands of the Locust, again.

Seth raked his fingers through dark locks and kept his hands clasped at the nape of his neck as he bent forward and stared down at his boots. "She had been tortured for hours, in different ways. She couldn't move because that bastard…" he hissed, "had dislocated every single part of her that could move. You could barely even touch her because of the pain she was in. From the dislocations to the beatings, and the lashings from being whipped – I'm surprised she didn't pass out from pained exhaustion. But that's not what had her crying…" He remembered it to this day, her cries and anguish, the torment in her eyes – and none of it was from torture. "He tried to make her choose. Betray the COG or watch a man died. She tried to save him, threw herself in front of the Boltok pistol even though she shouldn't have been able to move." He hissed, his breathing sharp as the dull pain from his chest emerged.

Marcus didn't like the sound of this, already knowing what had happened to his sister and the original Sierra unit. He knew her then, but only very little…that's when he was sent to prison. The guards made it a habit to torture him through news, and that was one piece that damn near broke him when everything else didn't. Perhaps that's why taking out RAAM felt so damn good, it was vengeance for his sister. At that thought, he realized that she had been terrorized by two Locust Commander's. One nearly killed her, the other…well; he didn't know what the new one had planned. "What happened…?"

"He grabbed her by the hair and yanked her away then shot the man; his head popping clean off in front of all the other civilians and Stranded that were locked up in there. That was the first time I ever had to hear her cry, and I swore to myself it would be the last. Unfortunately, I broke that vow not long after I made it. Wraith had already started making preparations to get the civvies out to safety. I had no idea at that point that Sera was with them. So we continued with the original plan. We had to change it though, because that sadistic bastard did something else that probably would have killed Sera through heartache." He went on to explain his brown eyes focusing on a spot on his combat boots, "He used a kid as leverage. A damn kid! He was crying while in the hands of a drone, and that bastard talked sweet to the child. He rubbed it in Sera's face, too. Told the kid that it would be her damn fault that he would be killed if she didn't give the information he wanted."

He watched as the man trembled and could even feel himself do the same. The anger that he felt towards the Locust had a tenfold boost just by listening to this story, "No wonder she decided to do what she did when Jacinto sunk…" he said in a low gruff voice, when Seth turned his gaze at the man, he went on to explain, "As much as she wanted to save that kid, she couldn't betray the COG, she wouldn't. Even though the kid lived because of you guys, she probably felt as if she still had to make amends for it."

"I never really thought of it like that. She's so damn unpredictable at times that it's hard to figure out what she'll do next. I thought she had done it because she's who she is, stubborn and always willing to fly out of the seat of her pants if she needs to. But what you said…that makes all the sense in the world." He murmured solemnly as he felt his chest quiver in pain at the thought of never being able to see or hold Aasera again, "I can't lose her…"

"None of us can…" Marcus said as he thumbed the tip of the Lancer's bayonet, "and we won't."

Seth snapped his gaze up once again at Fenix's words and blinked. The conviction in his tone, the passion and determination; it thoroughly shook Raldoran to the very core. "How can you do that?" he started, his voice cracking with emotion, "I've been trained to be emotionless, to be strong and fight without much of a reason. But you, you don't have the extensive training we've had and yet you come out a winner each time. How do you do it?"

"I failed once…" he said as he peered out the dark window, even darker now that the sun had set, "I made a mistake and it cost a life in the process. Not just any life…" His eyes seemed to darken as he stared past Anya and Hoffman to settle upon the back of Dom's head, "He was my best friend, a brother that I never had just as much as Dom is. Carlos Santiago, Dominic's older brother. We went to school together, Carlos and I…joined the COG together, were in the same unit with one another. Because of my mistake, he had run out to either save me or distract the enemy."

Marcus had stopped talking, and Seth didn't urge him to continue. The fact that the man opened up to him was quite a statement, and he was flabbergasted. "I'm sorry…I don't even…" he muttered, unable to comprehend what it must have been like. Wraith had been trained to be killers, to not feel even if a comrade were to die. He never really thought about it because they never had any issues.

He shrugged as he sat back and stared up at the ceiling of the KR unit, "I don't think anyone really knows what to say in a situation like that. Carlos had saved my damn ass…and I couldn't even repay him. Dom lost his older brother…because of me, and I couldn't even tell him until just recently the specifics behind his brother's death. But then I found out that Dom was the one sent out on recon to nab the Hammer of Dawn's blueprints and files from the enemy in Aspho Fields, same place we were…holding off the enemy so he could get in and get out. Tai always used to say that things happen for a reason. After that, I knew I had to protect Dom as much as I possibly could, do anything for him and Maria, the kids as well as his parents who, in a sense, had become my own parents. Mine were always too busy…"

"So you and Dom have known each other for a long time?" Seth asked, thoroughly intrigued as well as sad by this story that he had never knew, no one did…save the few. Yes, everyone knew about Aspho Fields and the Great War Hero Marcus Fenix as well as how they obtained the HoD's blueprints, but no one knew of the darker story. The Gears were the frontline men back in the Pendulum Wars, as they were in this war as well. Only this war was much more devastating than the last.

The brother nodded as he closed his eyes, "Since school…few years younger, but not by much."

It was a simple answer, but it spoke volumes. In those few words Seth could see a multitude of images. They had grown up together, played together, built cars with one another. They laughed and had many happy times, but also the sad and devastating. Raldoran could see all those things, and it made him breathless. "Is it true Baird and Sera knew each other?"

"From what Damon told me, they knew each other since the first day of kindergarten. Apparently he said some smartass remark to her and she kicked him in the shin so hard that he dropped to the ground when they had recess." Marcus chortled, a grin forming his handsome, yet scarred, features.

Seth tried very hard to keep a straight face, but it was hard after hearing this information. He burst out laughing, which gave him quite a few unusual stares. "That does sound like her…" he murmured, coughing in an attempt to mask the laugh, "Tough thing even when she was a little girl. It truly doesn't surprise me…"

"Yeah…" Marcus drawled, his grin widening, "I still rub that shit in Baird's face. It's one good way to shut him up, that's for damn sure."

"I'll keep that in mind…" Seth grinned.

"Make sure that you do…I don't give out handy advice freely." He said, icy blues turning to mismatched browns. They had an understanding now due to their story-telling. He felt he could trust the man with his sister, as long as he promised to love her the way she deserved, "Protect and love her, Raldoran. And for all that is holy, cherish her until your dying days."

He nodded, "You have my word on that, Fenix. You have my word."

**A/N: **So, a little insight on both Marcus and Seth/Sera. Of course I took the info from Gears of War: Aspho Fields. It's been awhile since I read that book. I might have to go back and read, then update to fix it if I have to. The information for Seth and Sera is part of the back story that I have. I know it's not much, and this chapter was probably very boring to most…I still had fun writing it out. Reviews ARE welcome, but I honestly hate it when other authors do that 'review or I won't update' crap…so it's honestly not mandatory. It would be nice to read thoughts, I won't lie…but hey, some people don't have the time, yeah? Hope everyone has a good weekend.


End file.
